Synchronous motor



Dec. 1 0, 1946. J.R.MA1NTYRE SYN CHRONOUS MOTOR Filed May 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /Vef A@ wm m na@ @MA/M VR?. mnm by mb J. R. MACINTYRE 2,412,461

SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR Dvec. 1 0, 1 946.

Filed May 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lmventorz' John E. Macih v w His ttorrwey.

Parental Dee. 1o, 194s SYNCHRONOUS l John R. Macintyre, South Peabody, assignor to General @emp-any, a corporation of New York Application May 25, Serial No. 595323 My invention relates to synchronous motors and is suitable for use in the construction of small motors such as are used for timing devices. One object of the invention is the design oi such a motorin which there is high utilization of the material in the rotor and a high utilization of the radial space'occupied by adjacent stator and rotor parts for the production of torque. In

the usual motor the torque producing pole piece parts of stator and rotor are located in concentric circles separated by an air gap, and the rotor structure lying between its pole pieces and the axis of rotation is used merely as supporting structure. In accordance with my invention the active torque producing pole pieces of both'stator and rotor are positioned in spaced parallel planes perpendicular to the axis of rotation and utilize a very substantial portion of the entire radial space between the axis of rotation and the periphery of the rotor. By such an arrangement the available torque producing surfaces of stator and rotor for a motor of given external dimensions may `be appreciably increased with a corres spending increase in the ratio of motor output to motor size. Other advantageous features of my invention will be mentioned as the description proceeds.

The features of the invention` which are believed to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto. For a better 30 understanding of my invention, reference is made in the following description to the accompanying drawings in which Fig.,1 shows a cross-sectional view of my improved motor as constructed with a suitable gear reduction and supporting casing. Fig. 2 represents an end view of such a motor with a one-way clutch included in the gear reduction unit represented in dotted lines. 3 represents an exploded perspective view of the rotor and stator pole piece assemblies of the motor of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a shaded pole form of stator pole piece assembly that may 'be used and 5 is a schematic illustration of the overlapping tooth relationship of stator and rotor in a given torque position.

I will refer ilrst to the form of motor represented -in Figs. l to 3 wherein like parts are in= dicated by like reference characters. The casing may comprise a magnetic cup part i with an end closure 2, these parts being riveted together at their rims by hollow rivets 3 which may then serve as screw or bolt holes for securing the motor assembly to' other apparatus. The motor stator magnetic circuit includes the right portion of the cup member l as shown in Fig. 1, a central magnetic core fl, andouter and inner stator magnetic `pole piece sections and S, in the same radial i The outer pole piece section -5 may be plane. mechanically secured to the inner pole piece section 6, by means of the nonmasnetic ring 3l,

which is `welded to both pole piece sections. This welded assembly may be magnetically secured to andwithin cup l by a close iit at their contacting surfaces,'the outer periphery of section 5 having a bent-over rim section lf to facilitate this. The welded assembly of the inner stator pole piece section 6 and outer pole piece section 5 is staked to the inner end of core 4, and the opposite 'end of the core is staked to the center of the end loi cup l. A coil 8 surrounds the core I and is housed within the magnetic parts described as shown. A dish-shaped spring washer 9 holds the coil rmly in place so that it cannot rattle. Provision is made for exciting coil 8 from an alternating current circuit by leads l0 brought out through a bushing Il in the end wall of member i. The electrical resistance of the washer 9 and the metal ring 3d are such as to limit the power loss due to circulatingy currents to a minimum. If necessary 'this can be accomplished by suitable slotting to increase the length and hence the resistance of the circulating current path.

The pole piece sections 5 and 6 have interleaved ilngers or pole pieces l2 and i3, respectively. In the example shown there are eight pole pieces in each section, the pole pieces i 3 of the inner section S extending radially outward between inwardly extending radial pole pieces l2 in the outer section 5 in the same plane. The air gaps H between the pole pieces l2 and I3 are radially symmetrical and are somewhat greater near the periphery than* near the center. The teeth or pole pieces i3 are slightly wider at their outer ends than at their inner ends and the teeth l2 are approximately twice as wide at the outer ends as at their inner ends. The radial gap at the ends of the 'teeth are made at least as large as the greatest width or the peripheral gap. The gaps between the stator pole pieces are sufficient to prevent any appreciable leakage flux directly between these pole pieces in the operation ci the motor, and the generally sector shaped pole pieces and gaps are otherwise dimensloned with a view of avoiding saturation at any point and of obtaininga maximum useful tordus nur.

The rotor l5 shown at the left in Fig. 3 is essentially a disk withl eight radial slots I6 forming eight radial pole piece sectors l?. Alhe rotor is rotatively mounted with a bushing i8 and a shaft I9 on-the center axis of the casing and motor 3 stator land is positioned closely adjacent to the plane of thestator pole pieces with a suflciently small intervening axial air gap to cause the greater part of the flux which passes between y the stator pole pieces to do so through the rotor.

A thrust be'aring for the rotor shaft at the core end comprises `a steel ball ilxed in the center of housing I8 against the end of shaft I9 and bears against a suitable bearing surface 2| inserted in the adjacent end of the core piece. This bearing surface ZI may be a small piece of fabricated plastic material such as is soldunder the trade-mark Textolite. The shaft I@ is otherwise supported for rotation in bearings in plates 2l which are riveted together in spaced relation and support the gear reduction unit for the motor securely in the left end of the housing as viewed in Fig. 1. The rotor sectors i1 may be bent -slightly as represented so as to bring their radial edges slightly closer to the stator pole pieces than the intermediate portions of the sectors. This assures a small motor air gap with sufficient clearance at the axis to accommodate the thrust bearing 2li and also makes the rotor more diicult to demagnetize.

To facilitate the manufacture fof the rotor sectors I1 and their proper alignment with the stator pole pieces, the inner ends of the slots I6 may terminate in enlarged drill holes 36. In the formY of synchronous motor represented in Figs. 1 to 3 the rotor is preferably made of permanent magnet material, such as the copper-nickel-cobalt alloy described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,170,047 to Dannhl et al., and is polarized in a peripheral direction to have poles of opposite polarity facing themselves across the radial slots I6 at the edges of the sectors as indicated by the polarity marks on certain of the rotor .sectors in Fig. l3. 'I'he radial length of the sectors I1 con- -forms to the radial length of active stator pole pieces, and the rotor is of the proper diameter so that when assembled the rotor sectors I1 can magnetically bridge across the gaps I4 of the stator when in overlapping position.

It will now be evident that when the stator coil 8 is energized with alternating current, the stator pole pieces I2 and I3 will alternate in mag-A netic polarity, the poles I2 being south poles when poles I3 are north poles and vice versa, creating a magnetic eld which pulsates at a rate proportional to the applied frequency. -Thus if the frequency be 60 cycles, the synchronous speed of the 16 pole rotor operating in cooperation with the 16 pole iield will be 450 rpm. The polarized rotor, although having eight sectors, is` in reality a 16- pole rotor, as the sectors have a pole at each of their two edges. At standstill with the eld deenergized, the rotor will, if sumciently free, seek a position whereAits sectors I1 bridge gaps between the stator pole pieces because the sectors of the rotor being permanent magnets will move. to a position of least reluctance. When the field is energized, it would appear that the rotor might lock, as theoretically the opposing torques of repulsion and attraction can be equal in certain rotor positions. However, such is not the case because of the unbalanced magnetic and mechanical conditions which will always exist. The rotor will vibrate momentarily moving` rst` in one direction and then in the other because of its low inertia and the high magnetic forces active upon it. Therefore, it will jump into synchronous speed almost instantaneously, although the direction of rotation is uncertain unless the rotor is permitted to go in one direction only.

Where a certain direction of rotation is desired,

a one-way lock may be provided in the gear reduction unit as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, consisting of a ratchet wheel 22 on one of theV driven shafts and a ratchet pawl 23 cooperating therewith to prevent rotation in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. The pawl is pivoted at 24 and has a tail 25 which approaches the ratchet Wheel 22 when the pawl 23 moves away therefrom, and in case the pawl is not in locking position when locking action is called for, the tail 25 will be, or will move the pawl to locking position. This locking device perse is not my invention, and any suitable one-way locking mechanism may be used which will serve the purpose. Thus the motor is self-starting and runs in a given direction at a 16-pole speed. Generally, the gear reduction wili be such as to reduce the speed to one rpm at the terminal or output shaft 25.

It will be apparent that due to endwise magnetic attraction between stator and rotor, there will be an end thrust on the ball bearing ll. This bearing determines the air gap between stator and rotor and will be designed for minimum wear and long life. The bearing plates 2l', which rotatively support the motor rotor shaft I9 and such as is sold under the trade name oilite The motor and gear reduction unit requires no additional lubrication, and the motor unit is intended to run continuously for several years without attention. The motor has been found to be exceptionally quiet in operation with relatively smooth torque pulsations. This is attributed to the combination of low speed, high torque rotor inertia, and the range of overlapping ci the rotor and stator poles during synchronous torque pnlsations. It will be observed that the useful torque producing pole face length in the rotor is the radial length of a rotor sector I1 measured from the opening 36 to the periphery multiplied by sixteen, and is roughly double that which would be practicable in a conventional motor of the same diameter where the useful ux gap is across a radial gap at the periphery of the rotor and where the greater portion of the nonperipheral portion of the rotor is used only as a spider supporting structure.- In the stator the useful pole face area is even greater in proportion since it is v the total stator pole face area adjacent the rotor section. Thus the sector-shaped pole pieces of the stator have a radial length more thanvthree times their mean peripheral width with a corresponding'ly large useful pole face surface.

The structure or material used in the gear case Y to the left of the rotordn Fig. 1 should be such as not" to provide any appreciable magnetic leakage ux path from the cup shell into the hub l ysection of the rotor such as would rob the 'motor extending pole faces 21, 28, 29,7and 30 formed by turning the edges sol as to extend toward the rotor. A copper disk 3l having slots 33 extending to the periphery to accommodate the pole place extensions 21 and 29, and openings 32 to accommodate pole face extensions 28' and 3D, is

provided. The flux which threads the latter or trailing pole face extensions is thus shaded or retarded by the copper conductor surrounding such extensions. but that which threads the leading pole face extensions 21 and 29 is not shaded. In order to equalize the flux in the unshaded and shaded portions of the stator poles, the shaded pole face extensions 23 and IU are made slightly longer than the extensions 21 and 29 in an axial direction; hence, the air gap between theshaded pole face extensions and rotor is made correspondingly less than for the unshaded extensions. vThe shaded pole construction may use a hysteresis steel disk rotor without polar slotting as represented at 34a, Fig. 4. The

shaded pole form of'motor will not require the one-'way locking device 22-23 of Fig. 2, since it will rotate only in the direction-of the rotating field produced by the shading poles.

Fig. is intended to show the manner in which the rotor and stator pole pieces overlap and to illustrate theftorque action of the form of motor of Fig. 3. `In Fig. 5 the stator pole pieces I2 and I3 are shown in full lines and the rotor sectors I1 are represented in dot-dash lines for one particular rotary position taken at random. It is seen here that the peripheral width of a rotor sector I'I is roughly twice the width of the stator pole pieces and the same width as the spacing between stator pole pieces of the same polarity at any given radius. Thus the distances DI 2, DI 3 representing the spacing between stator poles I2 and between stator poles I3, respectively, are

roughly equal to the width DI1 of the rotor sectors III all measured at the same radius. Also the spacing between rotor sectors I1 is roughly the width of the stator pole pieces measured at the same radius `liachrotor sector Il is thus within the influence of at least two stator poles and possibly three stator poles rin allrotor positions and is always within the influence of stator poles of opposite magnetic polarity, and each rotor magnetic pole is always within the inuence of at least one stator magnetic pole. This liberal range of overlapping is advantageous in quick and powerful .starting from any rotor position and in smoothing out the torque pulsations at syn chronous speed, resulting in quiet operation.A

In Fig. 5 the outer group of stator poles I2 is represented as having an N polarity and the inner group of stator poles as having an S polarity at the instant assumed. The permanent magnetic polarity of Athe rotor is represented by small jn and s polarity designations along the edges fythesectors Il, From the knowledge that like po es repel and unlike poles attract, the torque relations between stator ,and rotor for this position of the rotor and stator pole polarity will be evident. An outer circle of arrows pointing clockwise represents attraction forces drawn between the edges oi the adjacent poles of unlike polarity in stator and rotor. An inner circle of arrows also pointing clockwise represents repulsion torque forces at the points where they occur, 'I'he length of these arrows does not necessarily represent relative values but rather the angular location of the torque forces. traction represents the attraction of south stator pole I3 for the northA pole of adjacent rotor sector I1 to the left thereof, and the arrow marked Repulsion represents the repulsion force between north stator pole I2` and the north pole oi.' sector I1 adjacent thereto. These forces exist over the radial length of the pole pieces and will obviously tend to produce clockwise rotation as viewed in Fig. 5. If the rotor is blocked for clockwise rotation, the next half-cycle will reverse Thus the arrow marked Atall of the torques for this rotorposition and produce starting and synchronous operation in a counterclockwise direction. There are of course a great variety of rotor positions and stator pole polarity conditions that could be similarly represented but it is believed that the example given will be suiiicient to an understanding of the operation of this form oi motor,

The operation of the shaded pole hysteresis form of motor of Fig. 4 is essentially the same as in any shaded pole hysteresis motor except for the greatly increased amount of active stator pole piece and rotor area available for torque producing action afforded by the novel construction.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, :but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means. l

What I claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An electric motor structure comprising cooperating stator and rotor members the stator member having a magnetic circuit provided with an air vgap formed between two equally numbered sets of pole pieces, one set extending radially inward and the other set extending radially outward in the same plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the motor with the pole pieces of one set interleaved between the pole pieces oi' the other set, said pole pieces lbeing sectorshaped and of a radial length at least three times their mean peripheral width, a single-phase alrically distributed about the axis of rotation, the

rotor including a magnetic member mounted for rotation in a radial plane closely adjacent to the radial plane occupied by said pole pieces, the effective air gap between said rotor member and said pole pieces being less than the eiIectiVe air gap between the pole pieces whereby flux passing between the adjacent stator pole pieces of opposite magnetic polarity, does so primarily through said rotor member,

2. :An electric motor structure comprising cooperating stator'and rotor members said stator member having two sets of magnetic pole pieces equal in number, one set extending radially outward from the axis o! rotation of the motor and the other set extending radially inward in the same plane such that the pole pieces of one set extend between the pole pieces of the other set with substantial air gap space between them in said rotor disk being made of permanent mag-z net material with its sectors similarly polarized in a peripheraldirection such that permanent 7 magnet poles of opposite polarity are formed at the two end edges of each sector, the eiective air gap between the stator and rotor pole pieces being less than the effective air gap between the stator pole pieces of opposite polarity.

3. An alternating-current motor structure comprising cooperating stator and rotor members, said vstator member having a magnetic circuit formed of a cup-shaped member with a central core part therein on the axis of rotation of the motor and with a set oi sector-shaped pole pieces extending radially inward from the rim of the cup toward the core and a set of an equal num-u ber of sector-shaped pole pieces extendingradially outward from the core toward the rim" ofthe cup at the outer end oi the core, said pole pieces having a radial length more than twice their mean peripheral width and being symmetrically spaced and interleaved in the same radial plane with sector-shaped gaps between their radial edges, an energizing coil within the cup and about the core for producing a single-phase alternating flux between said pole pieces, said rotor mem- Vber including a disk-shaped rotor of magnetic material mounted for rotation on the axis of said core in a plane parallel to the plane of the stator pole pieces and closely adjacent to and opposite said pole pieces such that the eiective air gap between stator pole pieces and rotor is less than that between stator pole pieces of opposite magnetic polarity whereby the greater portion of the ,pieces between the core and the cup, there being a set or pole pieces magnetically connected to the cup extending toward the core and an egual number oi pole pieces magnetically connected to the core extending toward the wall or" the cup, said two groups of pole pieces being equally and symmetrically spaced about the axis of the core -rotation on the axis of the core in a plane parallel to that of the statorpole 'pieces and closely adjacent thereto so that its sectors simultaneously overlap stator pole pieces in the two sets, said rotor being made of permanent magnet material with its sectors similarly polarized in a peripheral direction to form poles of opposite magnetic polarity atopposite ends of each sector,

said sectors having their end edges symmetrically bent toward the stator pole pieces, and a thrust bearing for said rotor spacing the rotor from the stator pole pieces by an eiective'air gap less than the'air sap between stator pole pieces of the diiierent sets whereby the ux path between different sets of stator pole pieces is through the rotor. 5.'.iin electric motor having two sets of aeiaeer tor-shaped stator pole pieces, both sets extending in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation of the motor and in the same plane perpendicular to such axis of rotation with the pole pieces of one set spaced from and alternately interleaved with the pole pieces of the other set over a radial distance appreciably greater than the maximum peripheral pole-piece width, said pole pieces being equally spaced and symmetrically disposed about the axis of rotation of the motor, means for producing an alternating ux between the pole pieces of the direrent sets, and a magnetic rotor ,mounted for rotation in a plane parallel to and closely adjacent the plane ofsaid pole pieces such' that it magnetically overlaps stator pole pieces of both sets and comprises the principal path. for the alternating iiux between said sets of pole pieces and whereby thearea oi' said stator pole pieces' nating ux between the dierent sets of pole l pieces, a magneticrotor mounted for rotation' on such axis and positioned in a plane parallel to and closely adjacent the plane of the stator pole pieces whereby the rotor overlaps and magnetically bridges the stator pole pieces, the pole pieces of said stator having their radial edges extended toward the rotor, shading pole conductor means surrounding said radial edges oi all of said pole pieces only on the trailing sides oi said pole pieces, the eiective air gap between stator pole pieces and rotor being less than betweenv stator pole pieces of the dierent sets whereby ux pmsing between said sets of pole pieces does so 'through the rotor, and portions thereof from each pole piece are lagged by said conductor means causing a rotational shifting of such ilux and corresponding rotation of the rotor.

7. A shaded, pole alternating-current motor' having cooperating stator and rotor members, the stator' having a magnetic circuit formed with a cup-shaped outer part, a core part extending concentrically within the cup from the base thereof and a pole piece assembly between the outer end of the core and inner walloi the cup, a coil within the cup and about the core ior producing an alternating linx through the magnetic circuit and pole piece assembly, said pole piece assembly including a plurality of evenly spaced magnetic pole pieces extending inwardly from the cup toward the core and an equal number of evenly spaced magnetic Ipole pieces extending outwardly from the core symmetrically between the inwardly extending core pieces and in the same plane, a vrotor containing magnetic material rotatively mounted on the axis of the cup in a plane parallel and closely adjacent to the plane oi said pole pieces, the leading and trailing edges of said pole pieces having projections facing the rotor with the projections on the trailing edges being longer and extending nearer the rotor than the A others, and shading coil means on the longer projections, the air gap relations between stator pole pieces and between stator pole piece projections and rotor being such that the greater portion oi Athe flux between thetpoie pieces passes through the rotor and is approximately evenly divided 8. A single-phase alternating-current motor structure comprising cooperating stator and rotor members separated by a iiux air gap lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis ot motor rotation, said stator menber having a group of evenly spaced pole pieces of one magnetic polarity facing the air gap in circular formation about the axis of rotation, and a second group, equal in numberto the rst group, of evenly spaced pole pieces of the opposite magnetic polarity facing theaix gap in circular formation about the axisl of rotation and lying between and in the same radial plane with the rst group of pole pieces, said pole pieces being sector-shaped and being interleaved a radial distance greater than twice the mean peripheral pole piece width, a rotor mounted for rotation about the axis of rotation on the opposite side oi' the ilux air gap from the Astator pole pieces having magnetic material adjacent and magnetically bridging the stator pole pieces of opposite magnetic' polarity causing the flux between said two groups of pole pieces to cross said air gap and pass through the rotor.

9. A circular motor rotor member for a synchronous motor composed of permanent magnet Mmaterial and slotted radially so as to divide the peripheral portion thereof into a plurality of equal sectors, said rotor being permanently magnetized in a peripheral direction so as to produce a permanent magnet pole of one polarity at the leading edge of each sector and a. permanent magnetic .pole of the opposite polarity at the trailing edge of each of said sectors whereby the rotor has twice as many magnetic poles as there are sectors, which poles alternate in polarity about the rotor.

JOHN R. MACINTYRE. 

